Letters from Louise Mirrer

President and CEO of the New-York Historical Society

June 2014

Whether it's winter cold or summer hot or a perfect spring day, you can always count on seeing someone along Central Park West posing with Abraham Lincoln, our beloved statue greeting people on the steps leading up to the front entrance. I love catching a glimpse as a school group gives him a hug or a family gathers for a photo memento. It is a steady reminder of the power and intimacy of history and its appeal to a broad and diverse audience.

It also reminds me of the importance of our mission here at the New-York Historical Society, where we are dedicated to fostering research and presenting history exhibitions, art exhibitions, and public programs that reveal the dynamism of history and its influence on the world today. Our goal is to give visitors the opportunity to explore the richly layered political, cultural, and social history of New York and the nation, and to serve as a national forum for the discussion of issues surrounding the making and meaning of history.

We cannot do this without your support. So, please accept my sincere thanks to you for our successes thus far: thank you for visiting our exhibitions, for attending our programs, and for telling your friends and family about us. As we approach the end of our fiscal year, I would ask you to take another step in your support of this institution and consider a gift to our Annual Fund. Any and every contribution will help us enrich the lives of over 500,000 people each year, including more than 200,000 children, students and teachers. Make history matter.